In recent years, a copying machine, facsimile machine, and printer, which had conventionally been independent machines, have been integrated into an image forming apparatus such as a single digital composite machine, due to the spread of networks or the like. This reduces the required space and power consumption, and such image forming apparatuses are expected to become more popular in an office or the like.
Assuming the use in an office or the like, the above-described image forming apparatus having various modes is generally used as a copying machine most frequently (high copying mode use frequency). The image forming apparatus can be set to, e.g., “return to the initial window of the copying mode regardless of whether an immediately preceding operation is a facsimile, copying, or printer operation when it is left unused for 3 min or more.”
If this image forming apparatus remains unused for 3 min or more after operating in, e.g., the FAX mode last, the display window of the operation panel is switched to the initial window of the copying mode.
At this time, when the image forming apparatus has a plurality of discharge units, and bins dedicated to the copying, facsimile, and printer modes are arranged, the bin position stays the same after the end of the FAX mode in a conventional composite machine. To use the copying function, the bin position must be returned to a copying operation position upon reception of a copying operation instruction.
In copying operation of a new job, a copying bin must be moved. This prolongs the time till actual copying and discharge upon reception of a copying instruction.
In this manner, in starting a given operation mode, a long time is taken to end the mode because of the necessity of a setup operation time for executing the mode. Demands have thus arisen for smoothly operating the above image forming apparatus and increasing the productivity.